Renata Clerici

A multilevel competing risks model for analysis of university students’ careers in Italy

This paper examines individual and institutional characteristics which may influence the outcomes of university students’ careers. Withdrawals, course changes, delays and graduations of students enrolled in first-cycle degree courses in a large public university in Italy are examined. Individual longitudinal data from administrative archives were used, taking into account both the temporal dimension and the organisational and structural characteristics of the degree courses. Results indicate that the profile of a successful student is defined by both socio-demographic factors and pre-university educational experience. At course level, restricted access to courses, study fields and course size were important for students’ university careers.

Knowledge and attitudes of future schoolteachers in the scientific‐mathematical sphere: some evidences for Italy

Analysis of the university careers of students who are training to become primary school teachers has shown that a certain number have real difficulty in passing examinations in the scientific and methodological fields. This paper uses both objective and subjective data to analyse the levels of competence in this cultural field, and the propensity towards certain disciplines. Competence in scientific subjects among these students varies considerably, but the greatest concern is a widespread negative attitude towards the quantitative sciences. To transform this approach the way in which these are taught to future teachers requires considerably improvement, by means of projects and programs which take into consideration awareness of this background, that is the attitude of “fighting shy”, from both cognitive and affective viewpoints.

Evaluating quality of the didactics at university: the opportunities offered by latent class modeling

Purpose Students’ evaluation of teaching quality plays a major role in higher education. Satisfaction is not directly observable, nevertheless it can be measured through multi-item measurement scales. These instruments are extremely useful and their importance requires accurate development and validation procedures. The purpose of this paper is to show how latent class (LC) analysis can improve the procedures for developing and validating a multi-item measurement scale for measuring students’ evaluation of teaching and, at the same time, provide a deeper insight in the phenomenon under investigation. Design/methodology/approach The traditional literature highlights specific protocols along with the statistical instruments to be used for achieving this goal. However, these tools are suited for metric variables but they are adopted even when the nature of the observed variables is different, as it often occurs, since in many cases the items are ordinal. LC analysis takes explicitly into account the ordinal nature of the variables and also the fact that the object of interest is unobservable. Findings The data refer to the questionnaire to evaluate didactics to the students of the University of Padua. Within LC analysis allows an insight of scale properties, such as dimensionality, validity and reliability. Moreover, the results provide a deeper view in the way students use the scale to report satisfaction suggesting to revise the instrument according to the suggestion by the National Agency for University Evaluation. Originality/value The paper gives an original contribution on two sides. On the side of methods, it introduces a more accurate methodology for evaluating scales to measure the students’ satisfaction. On the side of applications, it provides important suggestions to the university management to improve the process of quality of the didactics evaluation.

Quali–quant analysis of the statistical content in Italian primary school general books

Abstract The conjoint use of multi-method techniques puts into action the methodological triangulation that can produce interesting results about the evaluation of textbook contents. In this perspective we analyze a random sample of fourth- and fifth-grade Italian primary mathematics general books. By using a mixed methods research approach, we conducted a content analysis of these textbooks, starting from an ex ante conceptual grid that allowed us to observe the contents of the pages dedicated to the subject. Initially, we used the computer software package ATLAS.ti to describe accurately the relationships between structural and content aspects. The codes obtained from the computerized content analysis were transformed into a matrix of statistical data, in which the cases and the variables (each category) were analyzed via the PASW Statistics package. The application of canonical non-linear correlation analysis to the set of these textbook characteristics (in particular statistical graphic representation) yielded a content typology.

Teaching competences in Italian universities: an attempt of classification to inform professional development processes

How we can improve the quality of teaching in the university degree courses? What are the professors’practices and the beliefs about their role in the students’ learning process? A group of spokespersons of seven Italian Universities has carried out an integrate sources study to answer those questions and to define a programme of activities for developing didactic skills of the teachers. This paper aims to illustrate the design and the results of a research project which involved 4,289 university professors (59% of the target population), who were teaching courses at bachelor and master level during the academic year 2014/15. The data were directly gathered by a CAWI questionnaire which was distributed to the whole teaching staff; the survey results were linked to administrative data related to the educational offer and students’ evaluation of teaching in the same academic year. The results were summarized using some indicators, which showed the diffusion of good practices of teaching, support needs, beliefs, interest and availability of the respondents. We verified the reliability of these indicators and, by means of them, we identified sub-groups of areas of expertise and needs to involve teachers in appropriate different and integrated activities, directed to develop teachers’ professional competences.

La ricerca valutativa nel campo della didattica: un’indagine tra i docenti dell’Università di Padova

This work aims at illustrating to illustrate the design and the first results of a survey which involved 1849 university professors who were teaching courses at Bachelors and Masters Degrees of University of Padova during the academic year 2012/13. The research is part of a project of improvement of the academic educational innovation and the quality of academic teaching. The kind of approach is an evaluative research which was conducted within the academic organization and carried out among peers, using a quali-quantitative mixed method. The data was directly obtained using a CAWI questionnaire which was distributed to the whole teaching staff, and it was linked to administrative data related to the educational offer and students’ evaluation of teaching in the same academic year. After a preliminary analysis of the factors which affected the probability of answering to the questionnaire, the results were summarized using some indicators which showed the diffusion of good practices of teaching, support needs, beliefs, interest and availability of the respondents to discuss more extensively the questions of the survey. The results are presented considering as reference context of teaching action and learning activities the eight Schools into which the degree courses are organized. Lastly, we identified sub-groups of potential participants for the qualitative phase of the research: they were characterized by different levels of professional practice and interest in innovating university teaching and they will be the right subjects to involve in different and integrated activities directed to develop teachers’ professional competences.

The identity and professional culture of the educator at the beginning of the university path in Italy

To work as an educator in Italy has required a specific university degree for only a few years now. This change has institutionalized the educational path regarding some factual knowledge and skills. However, the profession of educator also relates to an experiential culture and to personal motivations affecting and sustaining each individuals choice of the profession. This paper examines the ideas of professional identity held by a group of Italian students at the beginning of their college career. The sample includes two groups at the University of Padua, one group learning to work in social work, one group learning to work in health care. During the first three years of the new academic requirement, first-year students in both groups were qualitatively and quantitatively surveyed. In particular the study explores the reasons students orient towards these curricula, and the distinctive elements, competences, experiences and values they include in their image of an educator. Statistical multi-dimensional methods of data analysis are used.

The Context of Body Art: Body Piercing and Tattooing Among High School Students in a Northeastern Italian Region

The present study analyses factors associated with the propensity for piercing and tattooing among adolescents, from a survey conducted in 2007 in high schools in the Veneto Region (Northeast Italy). After some descriptive analyses, multinomial logistic regression models were applied to identify what predicts the practice of, interest in, or indifference to piercing and tattooing. Results show gender differences in the approach to body modification: For girls, body art is considered a mainstream activity involving younger cohorts; piercing and tattooing become a way of increasing their own body satisfaction. For boys, factors connected with the propensity for these practices are a low cultural background and the importance given to physical appearance. For both boys and girls, a significant aspect in defining attitudes toward body art practices is the values system: Values such as enjoyment, beauty, and youth, are found to be closely connected with a high propensity for these practices.